Best 3-Goal Comebacks in Flyers History
By Colin Newby
5. Philadelphia Flyers 5, Columbus Blue Jackets 4- December 19, 2013, Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, PA)
The outlook was grim for the Flyers at the beginning of the 2013-14 season. Through 8 games, they sat at 1-7. The Flyers fired head coach Peter Laviolette just three games into the season, and the team struggled to find its legs under Craig Berube throughout the next few months.
The Flyers met the Columbus Blue Jackets in South Philadelphia on December 19, 2013 in a seemingly pedestrian regular season matchup between two teams sitting out of playoff position.
Columbus dominated the first two periods against their former goaltender Steve Mason. The lifeless Flyers hit the dressing room facing a 3-0 deficit after two periods in front of a severely disappointed home crowd.
Jake Voracek, in just his second season in Philadelphia, started the rally with a goal early in the third period against his former team. Defenseman Braydon Coburn added another less than a minute later. The goals signified some emerging energy with plenty of time left to find the equalizer.
The Blue Jackets stifled the Flyers momentum by extending their lead with just over 11 minutes left in the 3rd period on a goal by Blake Comeau to make it 4-2.
The score held until Erik Gustafsson (the other one) scored on a rebound chance to rejuvenate the comeback hopes for the home crowd with under five minutes to play. The Flyers finally found the equalizer less than a minute later with a tying goal from Claude Giroux.
Giroux then scored the game-winner on an acrobatic backhand from the bottom of the right circle with only 1:38 remaining.
The victory over Columbus is the only game on our list in which Philadelphia overcame a three goal deficit in the 3rd period. They won the game in regulation behind a 5-goal effort in final frame.
4. Philadelphia Flyers 4, Pittsburgh Penguins 3- March 4, 2021, PPG Paints Arena (Pittsburgh, PA)
The Flyers entered the night coming off a dismal 5-2 loss against Pittsburgh just two days prior in which sloppy defensive play left young goaltender Carter Hart hanging out to dry. They missed an opportunity to spoil Pittsburgh’s first home game played in front of fans in nearly a calendar year.
The Penguins came out firing, taking advantage of additional defensive breakdowns to beat Brian Elliott three times in less than four minutes of play.
Alain Vigneault elected to use his timeout to settle the momentum, but the Flyers put Pittsburgh on the power play shortly following the attempt to regroup.
The ensuing penalty kill kept them in the game as the Penguins attack settled. Sean Couturier then got his team on the board with a power play goal 11:32 into the first period to weather the storm.
The Flyers chipped away, thanks in large part to the efforts of Giroux. He scored in the second period to cut the Penguins lead to one and bounced a shot off teammate Scott Laughton to tie the game with just over six minutes to play in the third.
Giroux again reminded fans why he wears the C, depositing the game-winner with 2:08 remaining to secure a win that the Flyers hope can serve as a rallying cry for the rest of the 2021 season.